The Rank-and-Filer is a collaborative effort to provide actual rank-and-file information and views on the issues we encounter in our local union. I’m helping out with it, and along with a few good members, I’m hoping it can make a difference, especially this fall, as we face a big decision about the future of our union.

Click here to visit the Rank-and-Filer.

It’s important for each member of Local 384 to pay attention (or start paying attention) to the representation they receive. Whether you’re happy or miserable about the representation you receive, this is your clearest opportunity to directly impact the representation you receive in the future. Whether your role is as a potential candidate, helping someone you support campaign for office or just casting a vote (and believe me, that’s as important as any of the others), your participation is vital to the future of this union.

Just something to keep in mind as we all get a little closer to the fall.

This past Sunday at the general membership meeting, President Bonaduce read a letter from Local 107 President and International Vice President Bill Hamilton regarding our health and welfare fund. It was offered as a way of putting the news about our fund into perspective. In short, it spells out how we stack up against similar funds around the country, and it dispels some of the misinformation that may be out there right now. If you want to read the letter in its original form, you can download it here in PDF format.

Click here to download the letter

It was especially good to hear from the folks who took the time to offer comments in the survey form. Though most of you didn’t leave comments, you’re still more than welcome to offer some ideas if you have thoughts on the survey, or ideas on how to improve our Union.

Click here to view the survey results now

If you’re interested in sharing your thoughts through the survey, but haven’t done so yet, please make sure to complete it by next Friday, April 16, 2010. If you’re a member of Teamsters Local 384, click here to take the survey. It’s quick and your participation is kept anonymous (even I don’t have access to your information when you take the survey, unless you go out of your way to identify yourself).

UPDATE: The survey results are in. To view them, click here.

Click here to take the survey

UPDATE: The survey results are in. To view them, click here.

But the most important element in both local and international union elections is going to be how well the voters — that’s members like you and me — educate themselves about our electoral options. That means it’s a great time to start getting out to the monthly membership meetings, and get familiar with the issues and people who will be running for office. Of course it’s always a good time to get involved in the union — that’s the best way to make sure you’re being properly represented.

Our next meeting is February 28. If you haven’t already been showing up, mark this on your calendar and come on out.

(For more information on this year’s union meeting schedule, please visit the “Meetings” page.)

In that spirit, I hope we’ll all taking the opportunity to show solidarity with the victims and survivors of this tragedy. If you haven’t found a way to contribute yet, I encourage you to donate to one of the following organizations that are doing vital work to help the Haitian people come out of this catastrophic time.

American Red Cross
United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund
Doctors without Borders

Every little bit helps. Even if you don’t have much time to surf the net making donations, or if you’re timid about using your credit card info online or over the phone, you have other options. In most cases, you can even donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts via your cell phone — just text the word “HAITI” to 90999 and reply to a confirmation text.

I am more than me,
not the one you had foreseen,
but just like you I had a dream –
a delicate contingency –
depending on a “we.”

*
The poem above was written over a year ago, during the last few months of the 2008 Presidential campaign. When I scribbled the first few lines, I was thinking about all the people in the country who were talking about “change” and “hope.” And I was thinking about then-candidate Obama, who had given a voice to the dreamy-eyed idealism of millions of Americans.

But one thing that disturbed me even then was how some people imagined President Obama would right all the wrongs done by our federal government, especially those done over the past 8 years. Sadly, there were far fewer people who seemed to understand that any substantive change in our political system was going to rely not only on the people at the very top, but also on those at every other level.

Some thought voting was all they had to do. Others went a step further, working tirelessly on the campaign. But far too many seemed to think that once the election was over, there was nothing more to do.

By the time the poem was finished, I realized there are folks who think this way not just about national politics, but also about local politics — and even union politics.

**
As a shop steward for most of the past nine years, I’ve been approached by many who want solutions, who want things changed for the better. Many of them are willing to step up and be a part of their own solution, but some believe that their part ends once they share their problems with someone like me.

Some people believe that shop stewards and business agents can work magic all by themselves. And yes, every once in a while, we may seem to get magical results. We may even get you exactly what you want without you having to lift a finger. But more often than not, you need to be involved if you want real solutions.

Sometimes I remind those who come to me for help that I might need their help to get them what they want. This is how it is for us as union members — we have to stand up for our rights. If not, we have no one else to blame when those rights continue to get trampled. When we make the mistake of thinking our leaders will do everything for us, we set ourselves up for frustration.

***
So when you come to me with a problem, don’t be surprised if I ask what you’re willing to do to help solve it.

If your rights are being disregarded in the workplace, but you aren’t willing to file a grievance, your problem probably won’t go away any time soon.

If you’re unhappy with the way you’re being represented, but you’re unwilling to make your voice heard, you’ll probably remain unhappy for a long while to come.

If you see problems, but you aren’t willing to work toward fixing them and supporting others who do, you probably shouldn’t expect too many solutions.

Any time we fall into the trap of thinking of our union as something “they” run, we surrender control of our union. The union isn’t just the elected officers, business agents or shop stewards. It’s every single member — we are the union.

And if we want something, we can get it, as long as we’re willing to work for it.